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Lambert: We Could Struggle to Keep Downes in the Summer
Friday, 13th Mar 2020 12:32

Town boss Paul Lambert admits it could be a struggle to keep hold of Flynn Downes, who he believes is the best midfielder in League One, in the summer and says there can’t be further cutbacks at Portman Road during the close season.

“Listen, it could well be,” the Blues boss said when asked whether it might be hard to keep hold of the 21-year-old come the summer, the England U19 international having been watched by a number of clubs including West Ham and Fulham this season.

“As I’ve said before if someone comes in with a helluva lot of money are we in a position to turn it down? No, we’re not. In my opinion he’s the best midfielder in the league.”

If Town are in League One again next season they will be constrained to a greater degree by the division’s FFP system, the Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP).

This caps player salaries at 60 per cent of turnover for most clubs but for sides relegated from the Championship at 75 per cent in their first year, in addition to other measures to help cushion the blow.

Asked whether he believes there could be more cutbacks at Portman Road during the summer if Town are still in League One, Lambert was forthright: “There can’t be. It’s too big a club, it’s far far too big a club to do anything like that. [Owner] Marcus [Evans] is only one guy, but it’s far too big a club to do what it’s doing.”

Downes had been due to return to the Town side for tomorrow's now-postponed game at Bristol Rovers along with striker Kayden Jackson, the duo having served their suspensions for reaching 10 yellow cards and a red card against Burton respectively.

“I think he’s had a really good season, Kayden,” Lambert added. “He’s scored a lot of goals, a lot of assists as well, which is important for us.

“Obviously, the three-game ban was a blow, but I think he’s had a good season Kayden Jackson I really do.”


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patrickswell added 12:54 - Mar 13
This is what happens when you blow a season as badly as we have, Paul. Flynn could be off, but you could still be here....God help us.

Get used to choruses of “You'll always be scum...” if things continue down the same miserable line next season.
-1

jong75 added 13:14 - Mar 13
Only one guy? Yep, he is only worth about 900 million. I believe his wealth has increased substantially since he has owned itfc, where the clubs fortunes have dropped through the floor. All the fans who keep going on about how much evans puts in, dont believe the hype. He has done well out of itfc. Downes will be off as will wolf. Hopefully bishop and dozzell too, but i feel the 2 latter will be harder to get rid of as their reputations are greater than their ability, in my opinion.
0

tractorollson added 13:18 - Mar 13
Course but hes far from the finished article, i dont think we will get much more than a million
-1

clive_baker added 13:22 - Mar 13
Surely the Marcus Evans Group is going to be massively impacted by Coronavirus, especially with so many events being cancelled. Hopefully it doesn't mean even more cutbacks at Ipswich. Not that we would be able to tell the difference between that and a normal year I'm sure.
4

Carberry added 13:30 - Mar 13
A manager who should be under intense scrutiny given a free ride by our fearsome local media. He must laugh all the way back to his office at the toothless questioning. Pathetic.
6

Mingochutney added 13:32 - Mar 13
Jackson has not scored a helluva lot of goals, hes only just got in double figures which is pitiful for a player with his price tag in this league for team aiming for promotion
4

Carberry added 13:34 - Mar 13
Also, when a manager says he'll be hard to keep, that means a deal's been done.
2

OwainG1992 added 13:42 - Mar 13
Jackson has done well this season no doubt.
Flynn for me has plenty of potential.
Will be interesting to see where he is next year.
0

Westy added 13:43 - Mar 13
Also Woolfenden. We had one chance to get out of this league and barring a miracle have blown it. I can see us losing all of our best players and will spend most of next season fighting to avoid relegation to league two.
2

herfie added 13:45 - Mar 13
Important as the FD issue is, I think there needs to be a root and branch, top-down, review to resolve the on and off field shambles our club has progressively descended into. Ideally it should be conducted by a non-partisan, independent, individual with a proven footballing track-record - otherwise it's likely to be reheating past failures. Not holding my breath on that one, though!

Would hope, however, that FD would want to continue his development with us, for one more season. Everyone else can go!😷
1

dukey44 added 13:52 - Mar 13
Wonder if we struggle hold onto Lambert..... Oh silly me he's here for another 4 years.... That's what you actually call crazy...
1

TimmyH added 14:03 - Mar 13
No sh£t sherlock!...wish other clubs were more interested in Lambert.
2

IpswichToon added 14:12 - Mar 13
jong, how could having £130 million in debts owed to him while owning ITFC be in any way categorised as "He has done well out of itfc"?

If you even mention something about offsetting profits against losses then you completely don't understand how finances work.
4

Radlett_blue added 14:34 - Mar 13
Downes may well be off after your dismal attempt to get the club promoted back to Division 2, Mr Lambert. We will also lose Dobra for a pittance, partly because you don't give him any game time.
3

DoseOfReality added 15:04 - Mar 13
And so the usual excuse start.

Evans is loaded & if he wanted to could help the club but he doesn't care.

See sell best assets for a pittance buy cheap Evans miserable boring reign continues.

Don't renew tickets it's the only way
0

heathen66 added 15:10 - Mar 13
Rid yourself of the 'high earning' underperforming senior players who cannot cut it even in this league and the savings will be there.
7

therein61 added 16:40 - Mar 13
Can't see him being the only one i think we could have several jumping ship(who could blame them) apart from the deadwood nobody wants.
5

TractorBoy1935 added 16:57 - Mar 13
Would be a huge blow to lose Flynn, yes I guess you have to look at it from a financial point of view but there is absolutely no reason why we cannot keep him. He hasn't expressed a desire to leave, there aren't many clubs waiting in line to throw money at us, well not to my knowledge and we could possibly build a team around him.
1

heathen66 added 17:06 - Mar 13
My worry is the definition of 'a helluva lot of money'
I know what I think the definition is but fear ITFC believe this to be anything over £500k with add-ons...and then wonder why we have no money to sign players.
Already given Bart away
2

BlueandTruesince82 added 17:10 - Mar 13
Downes sold then

Now on to lot 43 one Luke Woolfenden, this lot is being sold with no reserve and I can open the bidding at £ 3.50 and a tin of paint for the turn styles
4

therein61 added 18:14 - Mar 13
We should know by now that other clubs get in Mr 10% at least and the players ear then the game begins until we(because we are in such a sorry state) finally accept peanuts(Bart and the knee being an example) and this will sadly continue all our promising kids will be away we have sadly become a feeder club.
2

Lathers added 19:36 - Mar 13
This should have been avoided with promotion. Inevitable now that we will sell at our usual giveaway price and he'll be sold on for 10 times the amount within a year. We'll be lucky to hang on to Woolf and Dobra too. A massive summer ahead. Will Evans fire Lambert? (I don't think so) Will Evans release any funds to strengthen? (Unlikely) Will we continue to sell our top talent and replace with journeymen on frees and continue or slide down the pyramid? (Highly likely).
2

Pecker added 20:00 - Mar 13
We are a selling club and have been for many a year now. I have got use to it.
0

jas0999 added 20:50 - Mar 13
Even if we are talking promotion - Evans would still sell Downes!
0

Tractorboy1985 added 00:08 - Mar 14
Oh what a surprise!!! NOT!! This owner will bleed this club dry but still will get 10,000 happy clappy fans next season!
0


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